As Home Networks are becoming more common, Audio/Video (A/V) products, Personal Computers (PCs), Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) and other electronic appliances will be connected in order to communicate each other. Powerline Communication (PLC) Network such as those defined in the HomePlug™ specifications are expected to form a backbone of many home network systems.
In current PLC networks, there exists a master in the network which performs functions including the following functions:    (1) Beacon signal transmission;    (2) Device association and authentication;    (3) Admission control and bandwidth assignment; and    (4) Communication with other masters in neighbor networks.
Usually, the most intelligent device on the network is established to be the master for the particular network. The mechanism for determining which device serves as the master is documented in, for example, the various HomePlug™ specifications and is beyond the scope of this discussion. However, for example, the user may configure an appropriate device as a master in certain networks.
In networks designed to operate according to present standards, it is not usually easy or desirable to transfer the master's functions to another device. So, the master generally remains the same even when it is not in communication with any other device. In order for a device to begin communication over the network, the device must first find the network's master. This is generally accomplished by detection of the master's broadcast beacon. If the master is turned off or ceases to function, a new master must be established in order to carry out communication on the network.